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Commentary
On ivory, follow the trafficking networks and not the headlines
By Mary Rice - Mongabay An emerging narrative is that elephant poaching has declined, yet evidence shows that the illegal trade in ivory persists, and that the involvement of organized crime in it keeps growing. Despite big and news-making seizures of illegal ivory recently, criminal networks continue operating, and southern Africa appears to be back at the illegal global trade’s center. “The current narrative that the situation is under control should not be accepted without question,” a new op-ed for World Elephant Day 2026 argues. This article is a commentary. The views expressed are...
Kruger at 100 — the big questions about rhinos, elephants and park management
By Stephanie Klarmann - Daily Maverick Kruger National Park’s centenary prompts an urgent call to balance rhino anti‑poaching, humane elephant management and community livelihoods while protecting biodiversity and animal welfare. Kruger National Park’s centenary has prompted renewed conversations about its past, the realities of managing one of Africa’s largest protected areas and its megaherbivores, and ways forward. The Kruger inspires both fierce debate and deep affection. It is at once a place of historical injustice, scientific inquiry, tourism, conservation and national pride. This...
News
World Elephant Day: How these giants are adapting to a changing world
By David Brown - Mongabay August 12 is World Elephant Day. To celebrate, Mongabay looks back at recent stories about how the future success of these mammals depends on healthy, connected habitats....
Ancient elephant highways are colliding with modern borders, revealing how conservation zones fail the animals they’re meant to protect.
By Daniel Moran - Science Blog Z16 walked about three times the distance from New York to Los Angeles, and he did it without a map, a passport or anybody’s permission. He is a young bull elephant....
Elephant culling: Why Africa remains deeply divided over this issue
By Mariana Balt - SA People News Elephant culling divides opinion like few conservation issues. For some, it is a practical response to growing elephant populations in fenced reserves. For others,...
Press releases
Lawsuit Launched After Trump Freezes Funds for Rhino, Elephant Anti-Poaching Patrols
By The Center for Biological Diversity Contact: Sarah Uhlemann, (206) 327-2344, suhlemann@biologicaldiversity.org Broad Range of International Conservation Projects Hit By Halt in U.S. Support WASHINGTON— The Center for Biological Diversity sent notice today of its intent to sue the...
Studies
Elephant barrier behaviours in response to conflict mitigation fences
By Dominique Gonçalves, Robert J. Smith, Helen M. K. O'Neill - The Society for...
Impacts of Human Development on Wildlife Use of Corridors in Botswana
By Tempe S. F. Adams, Keith Leggett, Michael J. Chase, Marlee A. Tucker -...
Energy flows reveal declining ecosystem functions by animals across Africa
By Ty Loft et al - Nature Abstract A key challenge for ecological science is...
Reports
Scientific Review of Botswana’s Elephant Hunting Programme
By Mike Chase and Scott Schlossberg - Elephants Without Borders (EWB) Summary 1. In 2019, Botswana ended a five-year moratorium on the hunting of African savanna elephants (Loxodonta africana). Here, we provide expert, outside review of the hunting programme and its scientific basis. Notably, we...
About
The Journal of African Elephants was created by a group of concerned journalists, biologists and conservationists, who, after years of tracking and documenting the catastrophic decline of Africa’s elephant populations, have recognised the urgent need for a dedicated English and French news and commentary space to enhance and increase global awareness of the plight of Africa’s savanna and forest elephants. Our Commentary service, in particular, are writers that focus on the need to provide awareness of Africa’s elephants and affected surrounding human communities from a distinctly African perspective that, for the most part, is lacking in the dominance of Western media.